Raise the Hammer

I'd encourage all, but especially Bob Young, to read Paul Wilson's piece that appeared in the Spectator on Wednesday for which "frank" provided the link.

From my perspective, it's one of the best pieces written so far about this whole mess.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/articl...

Let me add that any talk about residential on the West Harbour site is ludicrous. Bob Young won't even pony up $15 for stadium construction when the taxpayers are willing to put in $120+ million. How can you expect developers and/or taxpayers to pay the full cost of brownfield remediation for residential usage? Maybe if we had ALL of our Future Fund money to spend, but hey, Bob's already counting on that too.

Further, Bob Young has said that because the taxpayers of Hamilton wouldn't provide him with enough parking (CN Rail yard lands), which apparently he would like all the revenue from, or wider roads, he and his pit bull Scott Mitchell got all pouty and said they didn't want to play anymore.

This whole thing started with a focus on money, and has devolved into a civic debate about money. The only issue is whose money and how much.

The Ti-Cats have never bought into the notion of "city building" since this whole thing began. As much as I'm pleased Bob Young is monitoring and participating in this debate, in no way does that soften my view that he is either getting bad counsel (which I believe), or he's determined to get back some of the money he's paid out over his years of ownership of the Cats by forcing a suburban stadium on the citizens of Hamilton that he will graciously "rent" from us for 10 years for $3 million. He also reveals he thinks the stadium could host dozens of events per month. They don't want HECFI to run the stadium. Now we know why. I don't blame him for that, as a businessperson, but I do blame him for potentially killing what might have been a golden moment in the life of this remarkable city. Blog away Bob, but it's clear to me you have a very strange way of showing your love for this city. Eat 'em raw indeed.